Ace
by lostladyknight
Summary: Logan returns 10 years after the finale with news that will rock Stars Hollow. How will this change the lives of the Gilmores?
1. Chapter 1

Hope this was interesting enough to keep you interested. Review if you liked it. I don't own Gilmore Girls. If I did... well... yeah.

-LLK

 **ACE**

 _February 20, 7pm._

 _"_ _Mr. Huntsberger this is Nurse Judith Hymn at the Seattle Children's hospital. I'm afraid we have an emergency and need you to come in immediately."_

 _February 21, 3am_

 _"_ _Mr. Huntsberger I'm afraid your son is going to need surgery immediately."_

 _"_ _Yes, Mr. Huntsberger, you are listed as the father on his forms."_

 _"_ _No sir, his mother isn't here..."_

 _...24 hours old..._

 _... no name listed on the forms..._

 _Life or death._

 _Parent consent._

 _Parent._

 _Father._

 _Son._

 _10 Years Later_

The Dragonfly Inn had changed in the ten years since he had last visited. It had different quality to it a new atmosphere. The furniture was all timeless and classic, the decoration all oozed the personality of its owner. The change though-it was palpable. Where it had been a charming small town inn in the past now it was a _family_ business. It was obvious that tourism had taken a back seat to wholesomeness.

He approached the front desk and recognized the man standing behind it immediately. There was nothing warm in his greeting, the opposite in fact; Logan knew without asking that he was a burden to this man. He laughed to himself remembering a time when this man had been the thorn in Rory's side. That was a long, long time ago. It felt like a lifetime in the past.

"Excuse me," he said, "Can you please tell me if Lorelai is in? I need a moment with her."

"She is in the back," his accent thick in both snobbery and French. "Go sit in the dining room, I will tell her that you are here."

"Thank you," Logan said. He pointed towards the dining room and gestured.

There were menus on all of the tables. Seven lunch specials and six desserts offered on each. The Inn might have changed, but Sookie hadn't. He perused as he waited and had to admit, it all sounded just wonderful. If he had been here on pleasure rather than business, he might have been tempted by the seven layer double chocolate truffle cake. The kitchen smelled good. There was a scent of familiarity. Those traditional Valentine's meals, and Logan realized that they must still be a little of the holiday spirit left over.

He was hungry. And the wonderful aromas weren't helping any.

As he thought about ordering something to take with him when he left he was approached by Lorelai Gilmore. She looked exactly as she did the last time he saw her.

"Sir, did you need something?" She asked as she approached him.

He stood and held his hand out to her, "Lorelai. It's been a long time. How are you?"

"I'm sorry do I know you?" She asked. And with the same breath let out here realization, "Logan."

"Yeah, it's me." He pulled a chair out for her, "Please sit."

"Sure," She sat across from him and waved to a waiter to bring them some coffee. "How've you been?"

"Some good, some bad." He gestured around him. "The place looks great. I hear you've been doing really well here."

"We have!" Lorelai said excitedly. "We had our ten year anniversary a couple years back. We were featured in a few of the local travel guides and some other publications. Really ritzy stuff!"

"Yeah, I know." He smiled. "I've read a few of them."

"What about you?" She asked. "Did you go into business with your Mitchum?"

"Yes, I did." Logan smirked. "I'm another corporate sell out I guess."

"And you're doing well?" She asked. "Successful?"

"Yes, I am." He nodded. "I'm actually doing some new things with the company and we've made quite a bit of profit. I may not want to admit it, but I'm in my element."

The coffee arrived, he cupped the mug in his hands before continuing. "How about outside of the Inn?" He pointed to the ring on her left hand. "You're married. Luke?"

"Yeah, Luke." She had the smile of complete contentment. "10 years this past June."

"Well that's great!" He was genuinely glad to hear that they had managed to work things out. "Any kids? Well... in addition to Rory, and I guess Luke's daughter... What was her name?"

"April," Lorelai offered. "And yes, we have another daughter, Emily-Elizabeth."

"Well congrats!" He laughed a little, "What about the Gilmores?"

"Emily hasn't changed a bit," Lorelai shared. "Not that I would expect any different. And my dad passed."

"Oh, thats right I remember" Logan said. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked. My condolences."

"Thanks. What about you?" She asked. "Wife? Kids?"

"No wife," he told her. "But I do have a son. Single dad."

"Oh really?" she asked. "How old?"

"He's 10."

"Wow!" She said.

"Yeah, he's pretty incredible." Logan mused. "He just started the 7th grade." He bragged, "Of course that's because he can move at his own pace since I home school. But I pretty much have to, otherwise I'd never see him with all the work and travel I have to do. But he's so worth it. Definitely the most worthwhile thing I've ever done with my life. He's the reason I'm here actually."

Lorelai sipped her coffee and gestured for him to go on.

"Well," Logan started. "He's been going through something of a rough time. He's always had some health issues. His kidneys. I gave him one of mine last year."

"Oh Logan, I'm sorry."

"Like I said, that's why I'm here," Logan paused. He took a deep breath and started again. "I need to talk to Rory. She and I were the same blood type so I thought maybe if she got tested..."

"But I thought those types of things needed a..." she froze as he saw the realization hit. "a biological parent..."


	2. Chapter 2

T _hanks for all the great reception for the story so far! I hope you continue to like it as we move forward. Please send more reviews! -LLK_

"Rory, it's mom. Call me."

The fourth message Lorelai had left for her daughter in the last two hours and still nothing back yet. She was still reeling from the information Logan had given her.

Ten years ago Rory had given birth to a baby boy and left him in the hospital as soon as he took his first breath. Apparently she didn't even wait around long enough to ask the staff his sex. As far as Logan had told her, Rory still might not know.

She was in Europe now, working. Rory had tried the political route but had found it to be unsatisfying. She needed a bit more culture in her life, and found her niche in writing for National Geographic. Something neither had thought would be her path, but had just been the fit Rory had needed. She got to travel and experience life in ways that most of Stars Hollow's residents hadn't even bothered to dream of. `

When Rory was home she lived in the apartment above Luke's. As rare as it might have been. Usually they just left the space available to April or Jess if they came into town and needed the space.

Lorelai dialed Rory's number again, "Um Rory, kid, you have got to call me now. I had a visit from Logan Huntzberger. It's important."

Luke came in while she was speaking and approached. As soon as she hung up her phone he asked, "Logan? What did HE want?"

"Well apparently he has a kid." Lorelai commented. When he looked as shocked as she felt, she continued. "He's sick. Like bad sick. And he says that he's Rory's kid."

"Lorelai," Luke said, "isn't that a little bit backwards. A woman can't have a child out there and not know about it. It doesn't work that way. I don't know what his angle is, but Logan is lying."

"I don't know Luke," Lorelai said. "He really seemed very serious. Maybe Rory did know and she just didn't want us to know about him. I mean, it's not like he's here asking her for the last ten years of child support or anything. He seems to really believe that Rory is his mother. Luke, his child is sick. He just needs help."

"Lorelai don't you think that we would have noticed if Rory was walking around pregnant!" Luke started to get mad. "I mean seriously Lorelai! I can't believe you're letting this guy manipulate you like this. We would know. You would know. It is not and it never will be Rory's kid. He's probably in his car right now laughing at you. It's all a joke!"

"And what if he isn't?" she asked. "What if we have a grand kid out there that needs help. What if our grandson is dying and we never meet him or help him?"

"I know," he began to calm down. "But this is Rory we're talking about. Our Rory. She wouldn't have kept a secret like that from us. Not from you."

"Yeah, I hope you're right." She agreed. "I guess we just have to wait until we talk to her."

Lorelai dialed her daughter's phone number again. No answer. This time she didn't bother to leave a message. She would call back eventually.

She turned to her husband. "Thanks for always being on Rory's side. She and i have always been so lucky to have you."

"Anytime," he hugged her. "You mind going to go get Emily-Elizabeth from dance at Mrs. Patty's? I'll stay here and start on dinner."

"Yeah, sounds great." She smiled at him. "Gumbo tonight?"

He nodded. "With a side of home made corn bread, and a big batch of chocolate chip cookies and ice cream for desert."

"Oh you spoil me." She pecked his cheek lightly. "You know who I should call if we're having gumbo."

"Nobody. You should call nobody." He was shaking his head no, very adamantly. "You don't have to invite anyone to come eat with us."

"Liz loves your gumbo babe," She said. "I'm inviting them."

"Lorelai no," he asked. "Because they all come and then it's like having a whole family of 6 year olds here."

"Doula is 11 now babe."

"It's a figure of speech." He said. "Besides the little one is 6, and he's the worst of them all. Well TJ is the worst, but he's a close second."

"I'm calling them," She tossed her hair in that way that always got her what she wanted with her husband.

"Fine." He agreed. "Call April too then, I guess. See if she wants to come over too. I guess we'll have a party."

She grabbed her keys and started to head out the door. Luke stopped her. "We'll figure this out. She'll call you. And, if he is her son, we'll figure it out. We won't let anything happen to him, okay?"

She smiled and half nodded as she grabbed her coat from the hook and headed out the door. Lorelai so hoped he was right. Why would Rory do something like this? Why would she choose to lie for a decade about it? And how could she abandon a baby? Her own child? She hoped there was a whole lot more to the story than she was getting right now.


	3. Chapter 3

_Thanks all for reading and for the reviews I'm getting. This is my first fanfic in the better part of a decade so please keep the reviews coming. It lets me know if I'm going in the right direction or not._

 _One thing I want to address is that this is Logan's story and I hope that you like it as much as I'm enjoying writing it for you._

 _-LLK_

 _..._

Logan walked with his son out of the doctor's office. "Well, he told me that things are looking pretty good."

"You're lying." The boy looked at him with those steel eyes and challenged him to deny it.

"I'm not lying," Logan said gently. "Things are the same as last week. Steady. That's good. It means you're not any worse."

"Yeah but dad it's not like things are that good to begin with." He looked at his feet while they walked. "I mean, I still need another transplant."

"Yes, you do," Logan looked at his son. Too much weight on such young shoulders. "But you're home, and that means you're healthy. We want to be out of the hospital as much as possible."

"Healthy enough to stay home isn't the same thing as healthy, Dad."

They were both quiet while they walked the three blocks to Logan's office building. Neither really knew what to say. Each wanted to remain strong for the sake of the other, but this living in fear was starting to weigh heavily on both of them.

Logan watched his son walk beside him and was overcome. It was a total of complete awe. Fear. Determination. Adoration.

A decade ago he was learning to care about someone beyond himself. He had had to learn to love Rory. Learn that there was such a thing in the world that could matter more than himself. He wasn't ashamed of the man he'd been in his younger years. It was a right of passage, to sow wild oats and to rebel. There were things he did he had to admit he didn't want his son to know about. And others he was sure that shamed his father. But, for what it was worth he didn't mind remembering his past, and often enjoyed it.

If you had told a younger version of himself that he was going to grow up to be a father, rather than a business man or felon or failure, well, he wouldn't have believed it. He might be a business man too, but the word father defined him. Of course he had thought of children. He would have a wife and the average two kids, a boy and a girl. Their mother and the staff would raise them and he would play catch with them on his days off, if he felt like it. The way he was raised.

But then he would have missed out on this, this feeling that always overcame him. This was his best friend, his child, and his purpose in life.

And there was a very real chance that it could be taken from him.

It had been an adjustment, to say the least. Learning to be a father instead of a bachelor. There was so much he had never even thought of, that all of a sudden now he was having to decide on his own. He walked into that hospital that night and had to instantly not only become a father, but a parent. The choices he made would be with his child for the rest of his life. In addition, there was the daunting task of trying to give an unhealthy baby the best start. To give his sick child the best chance at a long happy life.

So far, he had to admit, he was failing. He had been in and out of the hospital his entire life. He'd had so many surgeries that Logan would have to stop and think to keep count. Last year the doctors had finally consented and they did a transplant, Logan of course was a happy and willing donor. It just wasn't good enough. His frail little body was rejecting it.

Logan debated on weather or not to tell his son that he had begun trying to track down his biological mother. He didn't want to get his hopes up that she might be a willing donor. Or, even able. Plus there was the added confusion. Would he want to know her? Would she want to know him? What if she came back and then left again? The worst of which, Logan realized, was the possibility that she might feel entitled to some sort of custody. He wouldn't allow that. This was his son. His child. She couldn't come back a decade later and stake claim could she?

He was willing to take that risk though, if she was able to save his life. A child living, but away from him part of the time was obviously better than the alternative. One he didn't want to think about, but realized was going to be a possibility until they found him a new organ.

As they approached the main lobby of their building Logan paused, "I need to talk to you. About a few things actually."

Ace nodded.

"Well, weirdo bizarre or just business as usual first?" Logan asked. "Your choice."

"Let's go with weirdo bizarre," Ace walked over to the secretary's desk and asked her for his school bag, he'd left it with her when they left for his appointment. He walked back over to his father and announced, "this better be good."

"I saw someone today," the blonde didn't know how to start.

"Like a ghost Dad?" Ace teased. "Did you see someone who wasn't really there?"

Logan pushed his son playfully into the elevator. "No, weirdo. I um..." He paused to find the words and then continued. "...Um, well. I went to see your uh.. your mother's mother."

"My mom's mother?" Ace asked. "But why?"

"Well," Logan continued. "I was trying to track your mother down. The doctors, they keep saying that they think the transplant is being rejected. And well, an immediate family member would be the best to try again."

"What makes you think she'd even want to help me?" Ace asked. This was kind of a bit too heavy for him, Logan could see the weight of it all over him.

"I don't know bud," Logan tried to explain. "I just have to try. No matter how uncomfortable or how much of a long shot. It's my job to give you your best chance."

"I have a question," Ace said. Logan nodded for him to continue. "Well, you met my biological grandmother right?"

"Yeah," Logan said.

"Well, do you think we could just test her." Ace was matter of fact. "She's there right, I mean, we can find her. Maybe she would do it."

"Maybe," Logan agreed. "It can't hurt to ask. But you know that my parents and Honor, none of them could."

"Yeah..." Ace grabbed his things and started off the elevator. "So, what's the other thing you wanted to talk about?"

"You want to go to China with me tomorrow?" Logan asked. He had originally planned to just let him go stay with Honor for a few days until he got back. But one of the luxuries of being a home schooling parent was that school could be anywhere, and that meant Logan could take his son along on business trips. "I'll be in meetings all day most of the time but there's still time to make fools of our selves in the afternoon!"

"Beats staying at Aunt Honors," Ace said. "The twins are beyond annoying."

Logan laughed. He clapped his son on the should and said, "Hey, don't let any of this stuff bother you. The doctor stuff. Or the other side of your family stuff. It'll all work out in the end, okay?"

"Yeah, okay."


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks for reading everyone. I'm a little sad that the last chapter wasn't received very well. it's my favorite so far. Can you all tell me why you didn't like it? Anyway, thanks! Please review!_

 _-LLK_

...

Rory walked into the Dragonfly Inn and was greeted by the excited shriek of her youngest sister. Emily-Elizabeth ran and jumped into her arms and started talking a mile a minute about all the things that she had learned since last seeing her sister three weeks before. Rory tried to pay attention to her sister's constant chatter but she had to admit, she didn't have the patience for the five year old that she should try.

"Momma's mad at you!" Rory caught that part. "She says that she's been trying to call you for three days and you haven't answered and she needs to talk to you right away. You should go get some coffee before you see her, because she's m-a-d. Did you know that spells mad? Of course you do. You're the best speller ever ever ever!"

"Thanks for the warning Emily-Elizabeth," Rory said before she squeezed her tiny sister and put her down. "Any good coffee around or should I go to Al's."

"No Rory," the little girl warned. "This is like big time. No Al's coffee, go for the good stuff."

"Good call," Rory smiled. "I'll have Sookie make me some. Do you know why she's so upset?"

"Something about Logan came to see her," Emily-Elizabeth said. "And she said you have to explain something."

"Ohh..." Rory's body began to quake. It was the moment of truth. She had been half prepared for this for the last ten years, but was starting believe it would never come. "Better get a piece of pie to go with the coffee. I'm going to Luke's."

"Good plan." Emily-Elizabeth grinned. "I'll go get her happy for you."

"You're the best best friend ever!" Rory said. "Thanks.

Emily-Elizabeth started to skip off towards the dining room. She turned back, "Hey, Rory, who's Logan?"

"An old friend," Rory told her.

"Did I ever meet him?" The little girl asked.

"No," the brunette told her sister. "He was my friend before you were born."

"Okay!" The little girl did a curtsey, something she had learned from Mrs. Patty, and danced back out of the room.

Rory decided against going to Luke's for any bribery. This was her business and her issue. Her mother had no right to feel angry with her, and as a matter of a fact that was the least of her worries.

She had to figure out how she felt, and not worry about everyone else. And she had to do it fast.

What did Logan want? Why was he back after all this time. She thought she had made it pretty clear what her intentions were. She wasn't mother material back then, and she doubted that she would be any more fit now. She had done that baby a favor all those years ago. She was sure that the kid was much happier now with the life he had than he could have ever been with her messing him up.

She simply couldn't do the domestic thing, and raising a child in the life she wanted would have been unkind.

She had to wonder if Logan had even kept the child. If he had, she couldn't imagine him being a father. She had to admit, he was a lot closer than she was. He'd wanted marriage, to settle with her for the rest of his life. That was a start. She hadn't said no Logan all those years ago, but to being tied down. To being accountable to another person for the rest of her life. She wanted more than being a wife, or mother. It wasn't that she hadn't loved Logan, she had. Tremendously.

The fact was though, that she had never really had a man in her life. There was her grandfather, who had loved her from a distance until she was a teen. They had bonded and been very close, but his masculine presence really left less of an impact on her life than she might have wanted. Her father was, well, her dad. So she just didn't feel like she needed a _husband_. When it came down to it, she had realized she didn't really want one either.

It was almost two weeks after she had given Logan her answer when she got the news that she was pregnant. By then she was already working on the campaign trail and succeeding more than she had hoped. She was initially devastated and then had decided that the only real choice for her was adoption. So many times over the course of those nine months she had tried to call Logan and tell him, but she just couldn't do it. Before she knew it, she was in labor. Fortunately, Washington had a Safe Surrender law. She left the hospital with Logan's information so that he would have the right to decide for himself what he wanted, or if he wanted to do anything at all.

"Rory, you're home." She heard her mother's voice. "I've been trying to reach you for days!"

"Sorry," she shrugged. "I've been sort of off the grid for the last week. I wanted some time off! I came home to surprise you though."

"We need to talk," Lorelai said. "Logan came."

"Emily-Elizabeth told me," Rory played with the sleeves of her coat awkwardly. "Um, what did he want exactly?"

"His kid is sick. Your kid is sick," Lorelai told her. "He came here looking for help."

Rory was struck silent for a few long moments. She had never began to think that the kid could possibly not be okay. She wasn't sure what she was feeling.

Lorelai could sense that her daughter didn't quite know what to say next, so she filled the silence. "I don't know how much you know. His name is Ace, from what I gather he's brilliant, like you. He needs a kidney. Logan gave him one, but it isn't taking. Logan tells me that he's in and out of the hospital a lot."

"Oh." Rory said. "And they think I'm a possible match?"

"I think Logan is hoping that you are," Lorelai said. She leaned forward and rubbed her daughter's arm.

"I guess I'll go get tested then," Rory's mind was moving faster than she could keep up. "Do you have a phone number for Logan."

Lorelai nodded. Then the next question came abruptly, "I gotta ask. Why? Why'd you do it that way? Why didn't you tell me?"

"A lot of reasons," Rory confessed. "Part of it was because I wasn't ready. A small part of it was not wanting you to be upset, like I did end up making the same mistake as you after all. I know it wouldn't have mattered to you, but it did to me. A lot of it was just that, I don't know, some instinct kicked in and told me that the kid just didn't need me. I guess it was whatever kept Dad away so long. I don't really have a good explanation. I mean, I just panicked."

"Rory," Lorelai was so overcome with sadness. "Kid, you didn't have to do it alone. I would have been there. You didn't have to do it all alone."


	5. Chapter 5

I know that a lot of you don't like the road the story is taking. Some of you feel that Rory is out of character. Others think that she's getting off much too easily. I'll say this, I think you'll be happy in the end. Thanks for reading. Please kindly review.

-LLK

...

 _"Logan it's Rory, Call me at the Dragonfly."_

It was the only message on their home machine when Logan and his son returned from their trip to China.

"Dad, is that?" Ace asked.

"Yeah," Logan said. "That's your mother."

"Oh," Ace was awkward. "I guess that means that my grandmother finally tracked her down. Do you think she's going to get tested?"

"I'm not sure what she wants," Logan said. "I'll call her back later and find out."

"Yeah." Ace said. "Do you think she's going to want to meet me?"

"Doesn't matter," Logan told his son. "What matters is, do you want to meet her?"

"I'd like to meet my grandmother," he said. "Uh, Lorelai? She seemed really nice from what you told me."

"Your mother was really nice too," Logan told his son. "She isn't a bad person."

"Just a bad mom," Ace was a little bitter.

"Hey, no," Logan corrected him. He didn't want his son to think that any part of him absent or not, was bad. She was still a part of who he was, and Logan was worried that if he let his son hate her, he'd end up hating himself too. "No, she just wasn't ready. Some people aren't ready."

"You were ready," Ace told him.

"No, son, I wasn't," Logan said gently.

"Fine I'll give her a chance," Ace crossed the room and slung his backpack over his shoulder, "I'm gonna go to my room and study."

"Chapters 16 algebra, and read the story on page 211 in English," Logan directed. He was thankful that his son had changed the subject. "We'll work on the Algebra in about an hour, then we'll do a quiz on the story after dinner okay?"

"Got it Dad," he started down the hall.

Logan watched his son walk away from and realized that he looked thin. He balled his hand into a fist and leaned forward to punch the wall, but stopped short. He didn't want his son to know how frustrated he was. It wasn't fair, he was on ten and wasting away. Half the time he couldn't even keep his food down. Why did one kid have to be put through so much?

He was thoughtful for a while, he wondered what Rory would think when she realized the truth about Ace. He knew her, and he knew that she would feel terrible about missing so much of this. There had been times over the years that he had wanted to call her, but something held him back. He just couldn't do it.

He wasn't angry anymore. Sometimes he thought that never really had been. Rory's grandfather had died around that time, and he knew that she'd been too grieving for him when Ace was born. She should have called him. They should have worked it out together. Still, he wasn't nearly as angry with her as everyone seemed to think he should have been.

But the truth was that Logan knew Rory probably better than she knew herself (or at least he had at one time), and he understood why she had done what she did. She was the golden child. The gem of the Gilmore clan. Everyone around her had always sacrificed for her success. So, she had to, too. It was her obligation to her family. He got it, because he'd always been held under the same pressure. He too had caved to it. He was working in his father's company wasn't he?

Logan sighed. He picked up the phone and dialed. "Can I speak with Rory please?"

A few moments later she came to the phone. "Logan, is that you?"

"Yeah, its me," he said. Hearing her voice had been like a shock of ice water, a blast from his past. "Thanks for calling me earlier."

"Logan, I am so sorry," Rory told him. Neither of them were quite sure just what all the sorry was supposed to cover. It didn't matter anyway.

"Uh," Logan said. He was at a total loss as to what he should say next, so he just went with the next thing that came out of his mouth. "We should probably get together sometime and talk in person."

"I agree," Rory said. "Can you come have dinner with me here at the Dragonfly tonight?"

"Sorry," Logan said. "I can't tonight."

"Oh," Rory said. "Tomorrow?"

"Well," Logan started. "Could you maybe come to the city tonight? You're welcome to come over to our house for dinner, we could talk after."

He immediately hoped that he wouldn't regret the decision to invite her over. Then again, he did want something from her. This seemed like the best way to get it.

"I can," She hesitated. "Sure."

Once they were off the phone Logan had to wonder if he had made right decision in inviting her over. He felt pretty strongly that Ace needed to like her. She was his mother, and she was coming back into his life weather they liked it or not. He had always talked about her kindly when Ace had asked, but as the years went by he asked less and seemed more and more angry. Logan had decided a long time ago that his son should never feel that any part of him, not even his mother, was bad.

Having to live with a body that was failing him had been hard enough on the ten year old. So, Logan was determined that he not be disappointed by his mother too. Of course, he realized that all he could do was open the door for Ace to see her the way he had all those years ago. It was really up to Rory how things went from there.


	6. Chapter 6

_Okay so first I have to get something off my chest. Well a few things. I don't have a beta, and I'm really not even proof reading too carefully because I have a baby and he is constantly begging me to put my laptop down and come give him attention. Plus like I said a few chapters back, this literally the first thing I've written in several years. So, please don't hate me because of my inability to spell or grammar. Haha. The second confession I have is that I am giving info on Ace's illness based solely on my years of experience watching Grey's Anatomy and CSI. So, try not to let it drive you too terribly crazy if you happen to notice a huge error. As always, thanks so much for reading. Please review. -LLK_

...

Rory walked up to the huge christmas red front door, looming with the importance of what it kept hidden behind it. When Logan answered the door Rory handed over a Pippi Longstocking DVD and a pack of Red Vines. "Didn't know if you had properly corrupted him yet, so I thought I ought to start."

"Glad to see you haven't changed," he said. They both laughed awkwardly. Logan gestured for her to enter and leaned behind her to close the door. "Living room is through there," he pointed. "Make yourself comfortable.

The house was huge for something that one of her peers lived in. She admitted, it was kind of small by her grandmother's standards, but still even if it was quaint it had an exceeding level of refinement. It was absolutely the home of a Huntzberger. As Rory turned the corner she was struck absolutely breathless by the sight. Sitting on the couch across the room sat a perfect little replica of Logan with her blue eyes. He was so enraptured in Huckleberry Finn that he didn't even notice that she had come into the room. She was absolutely overwhelmed. Never had any moment in her life been more meaningful nor perfect than this, her first sight of her son.

Rory watched the boy as he sat there; she studied him as an ornithologist might study her birds, silently as to not frighten him off. "Ace, buddy," Logan said, interrupting her thoughts. "Put that down and come say hello to our guest."

"Hi," he said tentatively as he tucked in a bookmark and crossed the room to properly greet her. "I'm sorry, I don't know what I should call you."

"My name is Rory," she told him. "But whatever you're comfortable with is just fine. It's really great to meet you."

"Yeah," he said. She could tell that it hadn't been his idea to invite here there. She was surprised that it bothered her a little. "It's nice to meet you too, Rory."

The tension in the air was palpable. Rory gestured to the book in his hand and said, "That's a good one, I've probably read it a hundred times."

"This is my fourth," he smiled. "Do you like to read?"

"Oh yeah!" Rory said. "Look up bibliophile in the dictionary and you'll see my picture there." She felt stupid for a moment, did ten year old even know the word bibliophile?

"Maybe for now," Ace joked. "But give me a few years to catch up and I promise they'll replace you. I love to read."

"We'll see about that, I've got a whole quarter century of reading on you." She laughed then pointed over towards Logan. "I brought you a movie and some red vines."

"Thanks," he said. "I love junk food. Even if my dad never lets me have any!"

"He can't hold his sugar," Logan commented. He clapped his son's shoulder and pushed him towards the dining room. "Gets all hyped up and starts acting like a crazy person."

"I'll have to teach him the ancient ways of Gilmore binge eating," Rory promised. She sniffed the air, "speaking of-dinner smells good. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No," Logan said. "I got it. You can set your coat and things over in the living room and then come on in to the table, dinner should be just about ready."

They chatted as they ate and the awkwardness slowly eased. Rory slowly became more comfortable around them as she remembered how easy it once for her to be around Logan. He had always been charismatic, and she started to realize that their son shared that trait. As the evening started to grow later Logan had excused himself and his son and took him in to bed. Rory sat in the living room silently and realized that Logan's life really had changed, and she could see that this home was a happy one.

When he returned he and Rory had sat talking for a long time. She wasn't aware of the severity of Ace's illness, and she realized how naive she was about the type of care that he needed. The long and short of it was that he needed another kidney, the sooner the better. He would be able to survive for a while without, but eventually his body would completely reject the one Logan had given him and then he would be in complete renal failure. The good thing was that the one Logan had given him had bought them a lot of time. As terrified as she was at the thought of undergoing such a major surgery, Rory realized that she had an obligation to get tested and do whatever she could to help. Her biological son regardless, she realized that this was someone's child and she couldn't live with herself if she didn't do what she could to help.

They agreed that Rory would meet with them at the hospital on Monday and she would undergo whatever testing was necessary to decide if she as a possible donor. Logan would be there and then once he was given the results he would call her and let her know. From what he had told her from his experience was that the testing would involve a bunch of blood work and then they would send away. They should have their answer sometime in that week.

Sometime around midnight she had excused herself from their home and driven around for several hours before returning to Stars Hollow. Eventually she found herself slowly rolling into the driveway of her childhood home. It was close to five by then and she realized that Luke had already headed to the diner, so she did something she hadn't done in years. She climbed the stairs towards her mother's room, crawled into bed with her, and cried.


	7. Chapter 7

_Another chapter for you all. This one is more of a bit of filler, but it has given Rory a chance to think a little bit about what she wants going forward. Thanks for reading and please review, I know this one wasn't as exciting as the others, but the reviews still make me very happy! -LLK_

 _..._

Rory sat in the kitchen of Kim's Antiques and chatted with her oldest friend as she got her kids ready for school. Lane had an obvious rhythm with her children, an ease about the way they interacted. Rory guessed that was something that had come along with being an everyday fixture in her kids lives. She felt a pang of guilt but pushed it to the side.

"Kwan took the last of the fruit loops," Steve told his mother.

"Steve," she said back shortly. "Go put a quarter in the tattle tell jar."

"But mom," he argued. "He knew I wanted it."

"Two quarters because you're annoying me," Lane said. "Learn to work things out between you."

"Fine," he grumbled.

"Kwan," Lane said. "Did you do your homework last night."

"I don't know," Kwan shrugged.

"How can you not know?" Lane asked, annoyed. "Go get your book bag and check! I swear Kwan one of these days you're not gonna have me around anymore to remind you to do this stuff."

Lane looked down at her watch and shrieked, "Nevermind boys! Go, go go go! Bell's about to ring, grab your stuff and go!"

The boys shot out the front door like a light and were gone in a moment. All the noise and bustle of the morning seemed to leave with them. Lane turned around to her friend and rested a hand gently on her stomach. "Remind me again why I wanted another one." She smiled happily.

"How far along are you now?" Rory asked.

"About 20 weeks," Lane said. "My next appointment they should be able to tell us if it's a boy or a girl. But I think Zack and I decided to let it be a surprise."

"Yeah," Rory said. "I've heard its more fun that way."

"Did you know?" Lane asked awkwardly. "I mean, with your son, uh.. did you know before he was born?"

"Yeah, the doctors had told me," Rory looked down.

"Sorry," her friend said. "I shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's uh..." Rory said. "It's really okay. I should have told you back then."

"So what was it like?" Lane asked. "Seeing Logan again. Meeting the baby...uh, well kid. What was dinner last night like?"

"Ace was great," Rory told her. "Exactly what you would picture in a kid that was half Logan and half me. Logan was beautiful as always. I swear he's gotten even better looking. He has changed so much though."

"Things change when you're a parent," Lane said gesturing all around her. "I mean, when the twins were born I was a rocker chick and now I'm running my late mother's old antique shop."

"Yeah I know that," Rory said. "But really, they seemed like they were doing great. I think they're both really happy."

"He's sick though?" Lane asked.

"Yeah," Rory nodded. "He needs a kidney."

"You're going to give him one of yours?" Lane wondered out loud. "I mean, I don't know if I could do that for anyone. It's a part of my body, you know? I would for Kwan or Steve probably but... that's major surgery."

"Well I'm going to try," she said. "It's really the least I can do. I owe him that much."

"I guess," Lane agreed. "So, do you think you're going to see him more?"

"I'd like to," Rory stirred her coffee silently for a long moment before continuing. "I don't know that I'm thinking like custody or anything. But, yeah, I think I'd like to see him if Logan will let me. I'd like to get to know him."

"What if Logan decides that he doesn't want you around," Lane asked her. "What if after the kidney thing he wants things to go back to the way they were before?"

"I don't know," Rory thought for a few minutes before adding more. "I'd like to say that I'll honor Logan's wishes, whatever they are. But I don't think he'd ever do that anyway, so I don't think I have to worry about it really."

"Thats good," Lane said. "I'm glad you think things are going to go pretty smoothly. It wouldn't really be fair to Ace if you guys couldn't get along."

"I agree," Rory started to gather her things. "I've got to head out, promised mom I'd meet her at the inn and go shopping with her today."

"Okay," Lane started to clean up, "Good luck with everything."

Rory walked the snow covered streets of Stars Hollow from Lane's house towards the Dragonfly Inn. She reflected on how many times over the years she had walked this same route. Never before had she been dreading it as she was today.

Everyone was being too nice. Too understanding. She knew how people felt about a woman who chose not to raise her child. People were saying all the right supportive things, but she had to wonder what they were thinking or saying behind her back. It wasn't that she truly cared necessarily, but she hated the thought that people would think of her as a bad person.

Plus there was an extra added discomfort that she had to face today, though not until later. It was Friday, and she had promised her grandmother that they would have a dinner this week. Rory, her mother, and her little sister. Luke was always free to skip it if he wanted. She would have no choice but to explain everything to her grandmother.

She swallowed hard as she entered the front door of the Inn. She couldn't wait until the discomfort of all of this coming out was behind her.

"Hey," Lorelai greeted her. "I've just got to go check on something in room four and grab another cup of coffee and I'll be ready to go."

"Okay," Rory gestured towards the sitting room. "I'm just going to go poke through your library and see if you have anything I want. Take your time."

She tutted to herself as she realized that her mother hadn't added any of the list of book's that she had suggested. How hard was it to go to a book store and pick up a few worthwhile reads? She had read everything on the shelves in her mother's inn at least twice.

She picked up an old copy of the first issue of National Geographic that she had written for and thumbed through it looking for her article. Rory knew that her mother had kept a copy of every single issue she'd written for since she got the job. This article in particular was about Mardi Gras. She cringed as she read through it, it wasn't nearly her best work. But as time had passed she had gotten to a good place and had been doing really well with the publication.

Lorelai came back down stairs, "You about ready?"

Rory looked up from the article and set the magazine back on the shelf. "Yeah, sure. Where too first?"

"I wanted to go to Hartford actually," Lorelai told her. "My car or yours?"

"Yours, definitely," Rory said. "I don't feel much like driving."

"Okay," Lorelai said. "Sooo... how are you today?"

"Better than I was this morning," Rory said. "I'm sorry about that, I guess I just got a little overwhelmed by it all."

"Yeah," The older woman said. "I get it, it's a lot."

"Can I ask you something Mom," Rory asked. Her mother nodded for her to go on. "Why is everyone being so nice to me? Aren't you mad at me?"

"Yes, I am," Lorelai told her shortly. "I'm really mad at you for not telling me or letting me help you back then. But, you were within your rights to handle the situation however you wanted. You were a grown woman then, and a grown woman now. It was your choice to make, and you made it."

"Mom I," Rory felt she had to defend herself but couldn't find the words. "I..."

"Rory it's fine," Lorelai told her daughter. "Really. I don't like it, but I understand it."

"Thanks," Rory said.

They bundled up and worked their way outside, it had started snowing again. The cold was bitter and bit through their layers like they weren't even there. Rory shivered as she ran ahead of her mother to go jump in the car and get the heat started.

Lorelai slid into the car beside her and said, "Feel that? That's hell freezing over. Because Emily Gilmore is gonna spit fire when you tell her tonight." She laughed comically.


	8. Chapter 8

_Okay folks here's another update. I am looking at a pretty busy weekend, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to do another before Monday, but I'm going to try. Enjoy this one, I know I did. It was so much fun to write! Please Review! -LLK_

...

Emily-Elizabeth danced in circles around her older sister and her mother. "Hey, Mommy, know what?"

"What kid?" Lorelai asked her youngest patiently.

"I looooovveee Friday Night Dinners," Emily-Elizabeth half spoke and half sang. "You know why?"

"Because you were switched at birth?" Lorelai guessed.

Lorelai and Rory laughed. Emily-Elizabeth missed the joke. "I can't wait to see grandma! She's funny. Do you think she's going to yell at the maid tonight?"

"Oh I can promise you there will be yelling tonight," Rory said. "We'll just have to see if it's at the Maid, or me, or mom..."

"Why would she yell at..." Emily-Elizabeth was interrupted by the heavy front door swinging open.

This week's maid had a thick Portugese accent. They weren't quite sure what she was saying but did catch her final demand, "Follow me."

"She talks funny Mommy," Emily-Elizabeth observed.

"Lorelai," the little girl's grandmother admonished. "Teach your daughter some manners, that was a very rude thing to say! Even if it was about the help!"

"Hi Grandma!" Emily-Elizabeth squealed before running over to her grandmother and squeezing her legs tightly in her arms.

Emily got down to the little girl's level and said, "I've got a special treat for you tonight! Fresh home made hot chocolate!"

"Yay!" Emily-Elizabeth yelled before doing another pirouette. The stern look her grandmother gave her made her pause mid-move. "Oh, sorry Grandma. I got excited. Sorry that I was so rumanctious in your living room."

"Rambunctious," Rory corrected her little sister. "Ram-bunc-tious."

"Rumanctious," Emily-Elizabeth repeated.

The family matriarch transferred her attention from her youngest grandchild to her oldest. "Rory it's so lovely to see you. How was Europe?"

"Oh, it was just wonderful!" Rory told her. "But cold, so cold."

"Yes," Emily agreed. "I always say if you're going to Europe go in the summer."

"Well Grandma I kinda had to go now," Rory told her. "It was a business trip, not pleasure."

"Oh I hope you took time for a little pleasure too," Emily chided her. "You're much too young and pretty to be so tied down to your work."

"Don't worry Grandma, I did," Rory comforted her.

"Mom," Lorelai interrupted. "We've been here for ten minutes already and I still don't have a drink."

"Oh heavens Loelai," Emily chided. "I was catching up with my granddaughters."

"Don't worry about it Mom," Lorelai teased. She walked over to the bar table and grabbed a bottle of tequila. "I can just take my friend Jose Tequila and drink his happy juice right out of his pretty little bottle head." She crossed the room and sat on the couch. "Don't mind me."

"Lorelai come over here right now and get a glass!" Emily said. "I swear, sometimes I wonder who's the child in this family."

"Mom you know that I will always be a child at heart," Lorelai put her hand over her heart. "It keeps me pretty!"

The maid entered and told them that dinner was on the table. They all got up and followed her into the kitchen. Rory silently hoped that Emily-Elizabeth, who was going through a picky phase, would turn her nose up at dinner and get them all kicked out before their Grandmother had had time to get time to ask them what all was new in their lives. Either way, Rory knew it was time to tell her grandmother. She would be crushed if she found out about her great-grandson through gossip and not Rory herself. Even though, she had to admit she liked the sound of having that nice buffer. She couldn't humiliate her grandmother that way though.

Rory picked at her plate and tried to listen as her mother and sister made small talk with her grandmother. Unfortunately for Rory, Emily-Elizabeth was excited to try the squab (what she called tiny birds). She heard them touch on a few subjects like ballet and Luke, and April's upcoming graduation from Yale.

"I heard a rumor that the Huntzberger boy's mother is back," Emily gossiped. Everyone froze. It was now or never. She continued. "Rory, you did know that Logan Huntzberger had a son, right?"

"Uh yeah Grandma I did," Rory tried to find the words to go on.

"Oh, I've upset you," Emily noticed. "You're not still holding a candle for him after all of these years, are you?"

"No, that's not it Grandma," Rory said. She looked across the table to her mother and silently begged for help. "Uh, Grandma, you and I need to talk about that."

"Okay," Emily looked confused.

"Well," Rory dove right to the explanation, talking too quickly for an interruption. "You see, right after I graduated from Yale and Logan and I broke up it just wasn't the right time for me to have a baby. So, I let his father raise him."

"I don't understand," Emily said.

Lorelai interrupted, "Mom, Ace Huntzberger is Rory's son."

"What?" Emily asked. "What were you thinking? You ABANDONED a child? That boy has the right to a complete family. How did you feel growing up without your dad around much? How often do you see him?" She turned to Lorelai. "Did you know about this? I can't believe you two would keep this from me."

Lorelai grabbed Emily-Elizabeth by the hand and led her into the other room. Rory tried to explain things to her grandmother. "Grandma Mom didn't know. Nobody knew but me and Logan. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"I can't believe this Rory," Emily said. "Of all the insensitive selfish things that you have done over the years Rory-just get out!"

"Grandma," Rory said, "I'm sorry I know I was wrong."

"Wrong doesn't begin-" Emily stopped short again. "You need to leave, now. Get your things and go home."

"Grandma," Rory started to cry. "Grandma please... don't be mad."

"Get out!" Emily said.

"But my mom," Rory asked. "We came together."

"You need to leave," her grandmother said. "Or I'll ask the maid to escort you out."

"Grandma, I.."

Rory was interrupted by one last angry demand from her grandmother. "NOW!"

The car ride home was silent. Even the little half sized chatterbox in the back could sense the tension enough not to break the quiet. Rory was overwhelmed and so sad at the same time. She had done a lot of foolish things in the past but never before had she been sent out of her Grandmother's home that way. She realized that it would take some time before they could repair the damage she had done this time. At the same time though, the feeling of finally being yelled at over this was cathartic. She deserved everything she got, and it was nice to finally feel like she was paying the consequences.

"I'm going to the apartment tonight," Rory informed her mother as she climbed out of the passenger's seat. "I'll walk there."

The snow had slacked off and it was cold, and wet out, but the brisk chill was cleansing to Rory. She felt almost whole again, pure as she watched her breath steam in the air. The walk in the cold to cool her temper and clear her mind, the fight with her grandmother, all of it seemed clear her conscience a little. Of course she should feel guilty for the things that she had done, for all of the selfish choices she had made. Her grandmother was right, she had always been spoiled and self centered. She should, and would, feel that guilt. Dwelling however, that was in the past now.

She would give her son the flesh of her body, she would put the kidney from her body and into his. She would give him life for the second time. This time, however, she would make an effort to be a part of it.


	9. Chapter 9

_Okay so here's another little update because I try to please the masses. I think you will all like this one! Just a little fluff for the sake of fluff. Next update, probably late tomorrow night, will be the start of a little more excitement. Also, I'm going to put a shameless plug out there, because it's a free country right? My 11 year old stepdaughter has decided to start writing FF with me! Her name is rainbowsparkle04. Any love you can give her would really make my heart happy! Thanks so much and please review review review! -LLK_

* * *

Rory had gotten a call from Logan saying that he had some last minute business that would keep him all day that Saturday. Usually he just either took Ace along, or left him with his aunt Honor. But, Logan had wanted to offer a gesture of goodwill, so he had called to ask if Rory wanted to spend the day with their son. She had told Logan to let Ace decide if he wanted to come, and if not, it wouldn't hurt her feelings at all. He was scheduled to arrive at 6am to give Logan enough time to get back for his flight out of town. Rory had forgotten that there was even one of those in the morning.

She rolled herself out of bed that morning and made her way down into the Diner, which Luke had already started to open. She would never understand how the man could keep such early hours, she would surely die if she had to.

"Hey," he greeted her as he poured a cup of coffee and passed it her way. "I heard things didn't go so well last night."

"No," Rory laughed a little. "But they went pretty much the way I expected."

"Emily is a tough old broad," Luke told his stepdaughter. "But I think she usually means well."

"She has her ways," Rory said. "And, I think it's just hard for her to be flexible. She will come around, I'm not mad at her for the way she reacted."

"You're a good granddaughter," he told her. "You always have been.

"Let's hope she remembers that," Rory told him.

"So, what brings you down so early?" Luke asked. "I hadn't really expected to see you for a few hours."

"Ace is coming," Rory said. "Logan's got a business thing all day in Indianapolis. He'll be back sometime late tonight, but for the day Ace is going to come see the town and stuff."

"Cool," Luke said. "You want breakfast?"

"I'll wait and see if Ace needs to eat," Rory told him.

"Let me make you some pancakes," Luke said. "You can eat a muffin or something later if Ace is hungry. This way, if he's not, you don't have to go hungry until later. What are you guys going to do together today?"

"I have no idea," Rory admitted.

"Can I give you some advice?" Luke asked. "From personal experience?"

"Yeah," Rory said. "Please do."

"He wouldn't be coming today if he didn't want to," Luke said. "So don't worry so much about that. Just try to enjoy the day. The rest of it just falls into place and before you know it you will have your own groove."

"Thanks Luke," Rory smiled. "I'll give it a try. Might be harder said than done though."

"Oh yeah," Luke agreed. "It will be. But you can do this, really."

Luke disappeared into the kitchen to make the pancakes. For the first time since this had all started, Rory had begun to relax a little. She was old enough to know that nothing lasted forever, and this too would be behind her in time. Remembering that Luke had been where she was now really helped a lot. Of course, their situations had their share of differences, but it was so nice knowing that there was someone close to her with whom she could commiserate.

She had to admit that she was more than a little nervous about the day to come. It wasn't that she was worried about babysitting, because he was ten and seemed to be a really well behaved mature kid. To be honest, she wasn't really worried about the fact that he would like her. She knew enough about kids to know that most of them would like you if you were nice to them. And, if they didn't they probably wouldn't no matter what you did anyway.

No, the nerves came from someplace else. Would she like him? She thought it was almost a guarantee that she would. She was most nervous, she realized, that she would like him. What if she realized that she liked having him around. What if she became fond of him and then something happened where Logan wouldn't let her see him anymore. Or, worse, what if the unthinkable happened? There was unfortunately a very real chance that this might not make it. Then what?

Logan and his miniature walked into Luke's diner. They chatted for about ten minutes and exchanged pleasantries before the father had to leave for the airport.

"So," Rory said once she was alone with her son. "Uh, there's a great little book shop here in town I thought you might like to check out when it opens."

"Yeah, sounds good," Ace said. Then he ran his hand through his hair awkwardly before continuing, "You don't have to try to entertain me or anything. I mean, if you have to go to work or whatever, I'm good to just sit and read until Dad get's back tonight."

"I could too," Rory grinned. "I've got a ton of books upstairs if you want to come up and look through them."

"Up stairs?" Ace asked. "Do you live here?"

"Yeah," Rory told him. "Some of the time. This is my stepdad's diner. I travel a lot for work though. I'm a columnist for National Geographic."

"Cool," Ace seemed awed. "I like to read that sometimes when I'm in the waiting room at the doctor's."

"I bet you've read some of my articles," Rory observed. "Small world, huh?"

"Yeah," he relaxed a little. "So this is your dad's restaurant?"

"Uh-huh," Rory confirmed.

"So can we get some food?" Ace asked. "I'm starved."

"Luke will make you whatever you want." Rory told him. "He's a really great cook, and he won't mind. What's your favorite thing for breakfast."

"Promise you won't laugh," he asked sheepishly. Rory nodded. He told her, "Fresh Grapefruit."

Luke was going to love this kid!

After they were done eating Rory and Ace went up to her apartment and hung out for a while. They watched an old black and white silent film that was on TV for the only people who seemed old and deaf enough to want to watch. Rory observed that even though Ace had a sense of healthy eating that Luke was sure to appreciate, he had inherited his mother and grandmother's sense of binge snacking. He had worked his way thorough a whole box of coco-puffs, three pop tarts, and an entire bag of gummy bears.

Rory checked a few emails on her computer before they decided to venture out into Stars Hollow. She tried to warn him about everything he might encounter. Her best friend Lane, who had two kids a little older than him. Maury, who seemed frightening, but was really just a lonely old widower. The silent but sweet type. There was Mrs. Patty, her little sister-and his aunt's dance teacher. Of course, there was Emily-Elizabeth, who would love him and probably climb him like a jungle gym. Then there was her mother, her best friend. He was probably going to like her more than he did even Rory.

As they approached Rory's childhood home she couldn't help but feel kind of excited. Even though she was struggling to know exactly what she wanted to come of this new relationship with her son, Rory knew that her mother would instantly make him a part of the family.

"Ready?" She asked. He nodded. She opened the door and they went inside.

"Rory, is that you?" Lorelai called to them.

"Yeah, we're here," Rory answered.

"We who?" Lorelai asked, as she walked into the room and noticed. "Oh! Ace! Hi!" She jumped forward and gave him a big hug.

They spent the majority of the day in Stars Hollow where they all agreed it would be best just to get Ace out there. Rip the bandaid off so to speak. The poor kid seemed to handle everything with a little grace and a whole lot of patience. By mid-afternoon Rory and Ace were ready to head back to her apartment and relax for a while. Rory thought about making them a dinner but decided against it, as she realize Logan would probably rather she didn't poison his kid. So she asked Luke to bring them something up.

There was a certain ease and comfort between them that neither had expected really. The bond wasn't mother and son, but they seemed to have kindred spirits. Rory wasn't sure if she'd ever feel like a parent, she had missed so much. But that she had decided she still wanted to know him.


	10. Chapter 10

_Thank you everyone for reading! I really appreciate all of your loyalty! I am really looking forward to writing the next few chapters. I hope that you all like them as much as I think I will! Again please review! -LLK_

* * *

Logan and his son walked into the doctor's office. They would do some more tests and see how much longer they could stave off dialysis. Rory would be there at some point and they would start testing to see if she could give Ace a kidney. Logan, who wasn't a particularly religious man, prayed as they walked through the corridor that this would be good news. It would all be good news.

Ace seemed off. He said he had a good time with Rory. He talked about how weird she was, and how uncomfortable that he thought he made her at first. Eventually they had had a good time though, once they relaxed. He really liked his grandmother Lorelai, but felt weird calling her a grandmother because she had a kid younger than him. His aunt, who was only five, was a total basket case and he thought that was kind of cool. The off was different though, it was a kind of chemical thing Logan couldn't put his finger on it.

"Ace," he asked. "You feeling okay buddy?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," Ace said. He waved his father off. "I'm just a little tired today, is all."

They approached the waiting room and saw that Rory was already sitting there, nose buried in a book. They greeted her quietly. "Rory, thanks for doing this," Logan said.

"Yeah, no problem," Rory said.

Ace sat next to his father and stared into his book. There was something about the way he was staring at it, instead of reading, that made Logan uncomfortable. He put his hand on his son's forehead and asked, "You sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine dad," Ace said. He pushed his father's hand down. "Quit worrying so much."

"You have to tell me," Logan said more sternly than he'd meant. "You know that, right. You have to tell me if somethings wrong."

"Nothing is wrong dad," Ace told him equally as sternly.

They were all surprised when the nurse approached to tell them it was time to take Ace back. All three stood to greet her. The Huntzberger guys seemed to know her pretty well, and made some small talk. Logan allowed Ace to go on ahead with the nurse before turning to Rory.

"I'd like to come back, if that's okay," she said.

"I don't think so," Logan told her. "Not for this. They should be taking you back for your tests in a few minutes though. Don't worry about watching our stuff, it'll be fine here."

"He's my son too," Rory said. "I have a right to find out what's going on."

"No," Logan told her. "No you don't really. One day of babysitting does not give you that right."

"Logan," Rory demanded. "You are being unreasonable. I'm not asking for decision making rights. I just want to hear what the doctor has to say. I deserve to know what his prognosis is."

"You're right," Logan agreed. "You absolutely have that right. And I'll inform you later. Until then, you'll wait in the waiting room."

He walked away before leaving much room for discussion. He did stop on his way thorough the back doors to let a nurse know that he didn't want Rory to be allowed to come into the exam room.

It wasn't even so much that he was stuck on keeping her in her place or boundaries or anything of the like. The issue for him was that this was his son's health, his life, and too many opinions could only be dangerous. He needed to be able to give his sole focus on getting his son well, and Rory would only complicate that.

"How are you both today?" Nurse Colleen asked.

They responded and told her that they were doing pretty well. Colleen watched while one of her interns took some blood from Ace, and she rested a hand on Logan's forearm. "You always take such great care of him, but you're taking care of you too, right?"

"Yeah, I'm easy though." Logan gestured toward his son, "He seem okay to you?"

"I don't know," she thought aloud. "There is something that just doesn't seem right about him.

"I think so too," Logan agreed.

Nurse Colleen walked over to And took his hand in hers. "Ace, honey, are you doing okay. You seem..."

Ace fell back onto the exam table and his body began shaking and convulsing before she could finish the question. "He's having a seizure! Everyone get back!" She demanded.

Once they had Ace settled in the main part of the hospital, and they were running tests that Logan couldn't participate in, he stepped out and asked Nurse Colleen to go find Rory and tell her that they would be here for a while, and that she should just go home after all of her tests were done.

Colleen returned twenty minutes later to let Logan know that all of Rory's tests had been completed and that she had already left by the time she had gone back to find her.

The seizure had been caused by an abrupt change in the level of his blood sugar. There was a certain risk of childhood diabetes being related to it, but for now the doctors had told Logan that it was an isolated incident and not to worry too much about it for now. If it happened again within the next month or so, they would start having Logan test his insulin twice a day and possibly giving him some injections to even things out. They didn't think it would be necessary.

They got everything figured out only a few hours after it all started, and Logan was able to take his son home.


	11. Chapter 11

_Sorry this one is so late. It's been kind of hard to get any kind of flow lately, because I think that my readers and I want different things from this story. But, I've decided not to worry about it because I still think that once it's all said and done you'll all love it as much as I have. Keep your eyes open, any time now the doctor will be calling to tell them if Rory can donate. Please review it makes my little heart so happy! -LLK_

* * *

Logan was less than pleased to see his father standing at his front door when he opened it. "What do you need, dad?"

"The Farley group has been expecting to have a meeting with you while they are in town," Mitchum said. "You've been unavailable all day."

"Dad," Logan said sternly. "Ace had a seizure today at his appointment. We were in the ER all day, they just let us come home about two hours ago."

"Oh. The boy's okay though?" Mitchum was about as close as he ever came to showing genuine concern for another person. When Logan nodded he continued, "Do you think you'll be back in by morning or do I need to get someone else to cover the meeting?"

"Do whatever you want Dad," Logan said anger in his voice. "Your grandson was in the hospital today."

"Logan that's very unfortunate," Mitchum said. "But it the business world stops for nobody. You know that."

"Just go, give the meeting to someone else, I really don't care," Logan ran his hands over his face and sighed deeply. "I really can't handle this right now."

For a rare moment the senior Huntzberger stepped into the role of the father, "He is going to get through this Logan. He's a Huntzberger. We overcome." Mitchum looked at his watch and dashed out the door without saying anything else.

Logan peeked into his son's room and felt relief that he was sleeping comfortably. He turned the lights off and walked into his study and sat down. He played with his phone for a few minutes debating on if he should call Rory and tell her about what happened or not. Then, he wondered another few minutes if he should be in contact with a lawyer.

Surely after all this time Rory wouldn't try to sue him for custody or anything, would she? Logan was sure that Lorelai would want Rory to have some custody of her son, but was it even possible? The thought of having to share Ace with anyone was almost unbearable. Even Rory. She was his biological mother, and Logan knew that. He was grateful for the role she played in his existence. Ace, however, didn't need a Mom. Logan had done a good enough job on his own.

Well, he had to admit, not completely on his own. Honor had been absolutely amazing from day one. She had helped him through the darkest times, and had loved Ace as much as she had her own children, always making him feel like a real part of a family. He had to admit that he couldn't have come nearly this far without his sister.

As he played with his phone, trying to decide if it was time to contact a lawyer or not it beeped with a message coming in. It was from nurse Colleen. They talked for a while.

 _How's Ace doing?_

 _He's sleeping. Seems fine._

 _I'm glad. That was scary today._

 _Yes. I don't know how much more of this I can take._

 _Don't have a choice. He needs you._

 _I know. I hope it didn't scare him too much._

 _He's a tough kid._

 _Yeah, thankfully. He can handle anything._

 _It's because he's got a good dad._

Logan felt a little uncomfortable with the familiar tone the texts were taking and stopped responding. Logan hadn't dated anyone very seriously since Ace had been born and he didn't want to lead someone he liked as much as Colleen to the wrong impression about him. He wasn't looking to date, at all, right now. Maybe not again for a while. He knew that Colleen had feelings for him, he had noticed over a year ago and things hadn't really cooled down any. But, there was no way he would open that can of worms.

There would be some pressure, he knew, for him and Rory to get back together now that she was back in the picture. Something he honestly couldn't see happening in a million years. He had to admit, she was still gorgeous. So smart. So enticing. The difference now was that he realized that he wanted the traditional family, and he had a feeling she didn't.

"Hey dad?," Ace asked from the doorway, "You mind if I get something to eat? I'm starved."

"Yeah, I'll make you something," Logan offered. "What would you like to have?"

"Maybe just some chicken soup?" Ace asked. "The good stuff that Grandma's cook makes."

"We have a little left in the freezer," he told his son. "I'll go make us some."

"I can do it," Ace told him. "If you have work to finish."

"Thanks bud," Logan told him. "But I wasn't working. Just thinking."

"What about?" Ace asked. "Today, or something different?"

"Everything," Logan shared with his son. "I'm not too worried about what happened today. They said it was an isolated event. But, other things..."

"Like?" Ace pressed.

"Well," Logan said. "Nurse Colleen texted and asked how you were doing."

"She's nice," Ace grinned. "Reaaaalllyyy nice. I think she likes you."

"Me too," Logan agreed. "I think she likes both of us. But you know that I don't really date."

"You think Rory still likes you?" Ace asked, kind of abruptly.

"I have no idea," Logan looked his son in the eye carefully. "Ace, son, I don't want you getting your hopes up about Rory. This is the real world and things aren't always as neat and tidy as they are in books."

"I don't want things to change either Dad," Ace assured him. "Yes, I want to know my mother and her family. But our life is really good, I don't want anything to change... except... well, you know."

"Me too," Logan said. "So you're not secretly hoping that we'll get together and have ten more kids and live happily ever after?"

"Nope," Ace laughed happily. "But I bet Nurse Colleen might be having fantasies about all the smooching she wants to do with you!"

That genuinely happy laugh lightened Logan's mood immediately. He was so relieved that no matter how hard things got, or how rough things had gotten that he was still able to raise a happy child. Logan had done a lot of things in his life that he wasn't proud of, and he had made a lot of mistakes that he'd been sure Karma would repay him for. But no matter how awful things had gotten, he realized that he must be doing something right after all.


	12. Chapter 12

Okay so another short chapter for you. I thought it would be fun to get into Ace's head a little. Hope you like it. PLEASE REVIEW! -LLK

* * *

Ace overheard his father talking to nurse Colleen on the phone. He kept saying things like, "it's okay we'll figure it out," and "thanks for calling anyway." He knew what that meant, Rory wasn't a possible donor. They were back to square one looking for a new kidney for him. He felt a deep sickness in the pit of his stomach as he sat up on the end of his bed. Why couldn't he just get well and stay well? Now, what were they going to do? And his poor Dad. He was going to be an inconsolable mess until they found another choice.

Of course by now Ace knew the drill. They would test other family members. Lorelai would be next, probably. He didn't know if Rory's father was still living or not, but they could test him. Any other biological family would be preferred but they could start branching out to friends if they had to, but it was more likely to be rejected.

He wasn't sure quite how much his father thought he knew or understood about the process. He had spent a lot of time trying to keep positive or trying to keep Ace from knowing just how severe things were, but Ace lived in his own body. He knew. He had access to the internet and to whatever information he wanted. Plus, he had made it a point to always listen when the doctors and nurses were talking. So, he had it figured out pretty clearly. They all kept telling him that they would get him through it, that he would be okay. Kidney disease, however, wasn't something that you just got over. And Ace knew that he was dying. He could find a way to get out of the actual death part if they found a donor, but until then his body was dying.

His dad hung up the phone and came into the bedroom and sat down next to him, he didn't even have to say anything. "You heard?" He asked. Ace nodded.

Ace looked at his father and realized that he was on the verge of breaking down. He would never show it, or allow Ace to realize how much it was taking out of him, but he also knew that his father was overwhelmed with fear. "Dad?" He asked. "Would you mind if I went for a walk for a while? I think you and I both need some time alone."

"I'd like to go with you," his father suggested, but Ace shook his head no. "Okay, take my cell phone. Be home in an hour at the most. Do you want any money?"

"Uh, yeah," Ace grinned and held a hand out. "Twenty?"

He grabbed his coat and slid out the front door to give his father some time to be alone and to process. He turned left and just started walking. Aimless. It was so nice to be heading in a direction without a goal. To not have to worry about what was ahead of him, nor behind. He realized that he wanted to spend a lot more time walking, and even better it gave his dad time to figure out how to talk to him when he got back. Because he knew that he would try. He wasn't quite sure how long he had been walking when he looked up and noticed a dog, thin and balding in some places, shivering as it tried to cross the street. He couldn't react fast enough when he saw the man on the bicycle heading towards the poor little thing, and then... well, he realized that his dad was going to be mad. Very mad. There was no way he was going to leave a sick fragile animal in the road injured. He picked up the dog and started carrying it home.

When he walked through the front door his dad immediately rushed over to help, "A dog son? I let you go for a walk and you come home with a dog?"

"Uh, you're supposed to take dogs on walks," Ace laughed.

"Yeah, well, he needs help." he leaned forward and patted Ace on the back. "You did the right thing bringing him here."

While they worked together to get the dog settled into the bathroom until they could get him bathed and some vet care, they talked. Ace listened while his father broke the silence first. "So, you know that Rory isn't going to be able to help you, right?"

"Yeah," he said. "It's okay though. I'm on the waiting list. They will get me one before I really need it, and the kidney you gave me is doing just fine until then." He patted his side.

"You don't have to worry son," his dad told him. So serious that he started to believe it. "It just means that one person isn't a match. We still have a lot more options, okay?"

"Okay," Ace said, chewing his lip. Finally he said, "I know I'm not going to die or anything Dad."

"Good because you're not," he told him.

"Thank you though," Ace said, holding his father's gaze for a while. "I know it was really hard for you to go to her and ask her for help. I know that you blame her, and you are still mad at her about things. So, just... thanks for doing that."

"Ace," his held both of his shoulders and looked him directly in the eyes. "First, don't you worry about any of that stuff with Rory. She's your mother and whatever relationship you want there is fine with me. Second, no matter how uncomfortable it is, no matter what, if it's what's best for you I'll do it. You don't ever have to thank me for that, okay?"

"Okay, Ace said." He leaned in until his forehead was resting on his father's chest and he started to cry.


	13. Chapter 13

O _kay so I am so very sorry that this update has taken so long. It was my kid's birthday over the weekend so I took a sabbatical from my responsibilities to show him a great weekend! We had so much fun and I know that he's sad it's over now! Anyway, here is another chapter for you all. I hope you really like it! Please review for me. -LLK_

* * *

Rory didn't know if she should feel disappointed or relieved. Of course she very much wanted to help Ace and that was a disappointment. If she was honest though, she felt a little relief that she didn't have to sacrifice a part of her body. That made her exceedingly selfish, she knew that much. But it also made her human, didn't it? Would anyone actually want to give up a piece of their body? She guessed that it was probably just as complicated for all of the other living organ donors in the world as it would have been for her.

She wondered where they would go next. Of course her mom would be tested, but would she be a viable match? Rory hoped that they would find one very soon. The poor kid was having to live with this, and it couldn't be easy on him. She had never had to fear for her life before. And had definitely never been in Logan's position, worrying over the safety of a child. They seemed to have such good lives, but really, they must be so sad all the time. So worried. How could they be anything but?

Rory looked one last time at her phone, checking to make sure she had read Logan's message correctly before walking into her mother's home. Luke was at work and Emily-Elizabeth at school, so it was eerily quiet. Rory called out to her mother, "Mom? You home?"

"Up here," Lorelai called.

Rory climbed the stairs slowly, the sound of her mother's voice making her feel worried. She found her mother seated on the floor, he back against the bathroom door. "I can't go in there," the elder Gilmore explained. "I've been feeling off. Different. Thought it was just the dreaded 'change' but then I had an apple for breakfast."

"You think you're pregnant again?" Rory asked. She sat down on the floor with her mother trying to read her expression. "I mean, that's great isn't it? You and Luke would want another kid, wouldn't you?"

"Rory, I'm not exactly young anymore," Lorelai said. "There's a big difference between having a kid at 16 and having two little ones in your forties."

"Did you take a test?" Rory asked.

Lorelai nodded.

"Its in there, waiting for you to see it?" She asked again.

Lorelai said, "Yeah."

"Do you want me to go look?" Rory teased as though Lorelai was a little girl.

"Nope," Lorelai said. "Not yet. First, let's go do all the things I can't do if I'm really going to have a baby."

"Mom," Rory said. "I can't let you go out and get your kicks on martinis if I think you're pregnant with my baby brother or sister."

"Can we go sky diving?" Lorelai asked. "Or bungee jumping? Or... can we go join a gym and get int amazing physical shape and then enter the olympics and win a gold medal in the women's 100 meter dash?"

"Sure," Rory agreed. "How about this, how about you and I turn our phones off and go to Hartford and window shop for a while. I could use just about as much of an escape from reality as you can."

"Bad news on the transplant?" Lorelai asked. She crawled over to her daughter and hugged her without having to wait for a response. "An escape day sounds great. The test and the bad results will be waiting here for us when we get home."

"Yeah," Rory nodded. "I'll drive."

They spent the day doing anything and everything but discussing the two biggest things going on in their lives at the moment. One, the absentee mother of a sick child, the other facing a second unplanned pregnancy in her life. Neither of the bits of news they were avoiding were the end of the world, of course. Ace would find another donor. They would all work together to make that happen. And if Lorelai was pregnant, well then she was. She was happily married to the father of the child, and they would be very happy about the baby if there was one.

After a lunch of huge piles of sushi and more coffee than was natural for two human beings to consume, they made their way to the mall in Hartford to window shop. They both remarked on how much different a trip to the mall was when it was just them versus when they were there with Rory's grandmother. Something they didn't do by choice often, but still had to admit had a colorful edge to it. Rory listened as her mother tried to talk her into approaching her grandmother to make amends. Lorelai had actually told her that she felt Emily was in the right on this one, something that was probably even harder for Lorelai to say than it was for Rory to hear, but, she had been right. Rory owed the entire family, her grandmother included, an apology.

As they walked quietly through the parking lot back towards their car Lorelai had a realization. "If I'm pregnant they probably won't let me be a donor. So, who's next on the list?"

"I guess Dad," Rory suggested. "He'd do it, wouldn't he?"

"Yes, of course he would. He so would," Lorelai commented. "Have you told him about Ace yet?"

"No," Rory admitted.

"When is the last time you talked to him?" Lorelai asked. "Or Gigi?"

"Gigi called me a few days ago," Rory said. "Dad... not in a while. It's just hard with Dad. You know that, he's in and out."

"Sucks for the kid, doesn't it?" Lorelai pointed out.

Rory gave her mother an indignant look. "Mom, that's not fair. It's different."

"No it's really not," Lorelai said. "If you're back in Ace's life now... you need to be back. You can't just come and go as you please."


	14. Chapter 14

_I just wanted to let you all know that I put some thought into this (as have I each decision I've made in this story), and I do have a plan and a direction that I really couldn't reach without this pregnancy happening. The resulting baby will have longevity long past this story, and I have a feeling you will all be glad to see that it happened. On another note, I promise you all that it is perfectly possible for a woman in her late 40's to make a baby._

 _Thank you all to those of you who wished my kid a happy belated birthday! He had a wonderful time!_

 _MOST IMPORTANTLY I just want to thank all of you that are giving me so much support and who are reading faithfully. I really love Fanfic and it's been so nice having you all to share this with! Even if I can't take it as seriously as I used to, it's still been really fun because of you all!_

 _Please review!_

 _-LLK_

* * *

Two pink lines.

She was pregnant. She had avoided the test all day, making excuse after excuse not to go look. There was no avoiding it now though, the two lines were staring up at her. How had this happened? Okay, so she had given birth twice before. Obviously she knew how it happened. She learned that lesson the hard way thirty-three years ago. She was so much older this time though. Obviously, not too old because she had a five year old child as well. She was still young enough to be making babies, and quite possibly raising them. It just wasn't something that she and Luke had really planned for themselves at this point.

The decision to have Emily-Elizabeth had been an easy one. They had wanted to share something deeper between themselves. They wanted to blend their families, to create a person who was equally them and also a part of both Rory and April. The choice to have a child had come early in their relationship, and Emily-Elizabeth had both been a goal and a dream that they shared. There had been talk of another child, of course, but once they had been married and ready to conceive, it had taken them a while. It wasn't any sort of turmoil, and they hadn't had to go with science to get pregnant, but the journey to get to their daughter had taken a couple of years longer than expected. By that point they were both in their mid-forties and, well, it felt right that she was the last child for either of them.

Lorelai had to admit though, even if she and Luke had decided together that Emily-Elizabeth was their last child, well, Lorelai had always been kind of sad to have had that door closed. She had always wanted a bigger family, but then things had changed so much when Rory was born, and it had taken so long for her to get it right with Luke, so many obstacles had fallen in her path before she'd gotten there, this this happy family she was a part of now. Emily-Elizabeth was a healthy, happy, thriving little girl and they had always been really lucky to have her. She was more than enough to make them feel complete, still... Lorelai had been a little regretful to have closed the door to more kids. So, she had to admit a part of her was happy about this...but by the time she was a senior citizen, this child would still be in elementary school. It didn't matter now though, did it? She was already pregnant.

She was equally excited and terrified.

If her last pregnancy had been a high risk one... the doctors eyes bugging out a little every time they read her age, well this one was going to be all that much harder wasn't it? There were so many added risks too. What if this baby had genetic issues? Downs Syndrome became so much more of a likelihood after age 40 and each year the chances became greater. Still, the pregnancy with Emily-Elizabeth had ben easy, textbook the way it was supposed to be, and the same with Rory. Her body liked being pregnant, so maybe things go just a smoothly this time? She hoped that was so.

Things right now were so messed up; Rory was a mother herself, and a half-assed one. Lorelai was struggling to accept that, as hard as she tried. She couldn't believe she raised a child that would do something like that! But, she also could in a way. Rory was Christopher's child just as much as she was hers, and the apple never falls as far from the tree as people might have wished. Plus, Lorelai had to admit her own fault, she had always raised Rory to believe that her future was the most important thing in the whole world. With that kind of pressure on her, how could she have made any other choice? She hated the choices that Rory had made, but she would hate it even more if something were to happen to that sweet little boy before their family had gotten to enjoy knowing him. And, that meant everyone.

She picked up the phone and dialed the last phone number she thought that she would ever call in this situation. Not that she'd spent too much time planning to be in this situation again, 33 years after she had the first time. When her mother answered the phone Lorelai spoke, "Mom, I have some news. I want to tell you first, before I tell anyone else. But, before I do I need you to promise me something."

"What is it Lorelai?" Emily asked impatiently. "What do you want?"

"Well Mom, first," Lorelai paused. She couldn't believe this was the person she was talking to before she even spoke to her husband. "I want you to call Rory. I want you to talk to her. I know that you're mad. I'm mad, too. I can't believe how deceitful she was all this time! But, Mom, you love Rory. And if you push her away there's a chance you'll lose your granddaughter and never get to know your great grandson. So just promise me you'll call."

"Fine Lorelai, I'll call her," Emily insisted. "Now what is this news you think I'm going to be so happy to have first?"

"I'm pregnant again," Lorelai blurted out... and then like a child she hung up the phone and popped the battery out.

Remembering an old episode of the show Friends, she decided the best place for something as scary as a phone that might have her mother calling her back was the Freezer. She quickly rushed into her kitchen and pulled the door to the freezer open and shoved the phone deep into the back of it. "And stay there!" She commanded it.


	15. Chapter 15

_Sorry for being so tardy. I think I shouldn't be quite as busy anymore, so I should be a bit faster. Hope you like it! Please review! -LLK_

* * *

They all sat around a big dining table at the Inn. Logan had agreed to the meeting in spite of feeling a bit awkward about it. Rory had wanted to take the time for them all to sit dow together, she and Logan, Ace, Lorelai and Luke and the kids, to talk things out. Ace and his little dog (which he refused to go anywhere without) were off at the stables with Emily-Elizabeth getting to know the horses, the adults were all drinking coffee. Logan looked around at all the faces near him and realized that they may not be anything to him anymore, but this was Ace's family. He had to admit, he liked seeing so many more people in his son's corner.

No matter how thankful he was for every one of them, and the role they would play in his son's life in the future. It didn't change the past, it didn't erase that they hadn't bothered to know his son for ten years. He resented them all for that. Of course, he knew that Rory had made it impossible for them by not telling them of Ace's existence. But these were all faces that he should have known his entire life. He chose to let that go however and move forward for his son's sake. Holding on to the past and having a grudge wasn't going to help anyone, and it surely wasn't healthy for his son. So, he would find a way to let it go.

"Do you think Emily-Elizabeth could be a match?" Rory asked the group aloud. "There are a lot of benefits to finding another child to be his live donor."

"Absolutely not," Logan said abruptly. "No way. No. It is hard enough to ask an adult with the ability to understand to consent to something like this. There is no way that I would even consider a child. We will find a way."

"Logan don't you think we should just look into it," Rory pressed.

"No," Luke added. "I'm with Logan. This isn't something I'd even consider letting you do to my daughter."

"Luke, nobody's doing anything to her." Lorelai said. She put her hand on his. "Rory was just thinking out loud."

"I'm sorry," Rory said. "I know that's not an option. I wouldn't want it to be anyway. She's just a little girl."

"You know," Luke said. "That does give me an idea. There is someone we haven't really thought of yet."

"Who?" the others all asked aloud.

"A certain other Emily," Luke suggested. "I think that someone should talk to her."

"Not Grandma!" Rory groaned. "Ugh if she expected a lifetime of Friday night dinners just for helping out with school, can you imagine what she'll want in return for a favor like this?"

"Rory," Logan chided. "If she gives this to Ace, she'll be entitled to whatever she wants."

"It's just never easy with Emily, you guys don't know her like we do," Lorelai chimed in. "But, I have to agree with Logan. It's worth it."

"So we're asking Grandma?" Rory asked. "Really?"

"Yeah," Lorelai said. "I think you have to."

"So how do we do it?" Logan asked aloud.

"You guys are being crazy," Luke said. "She's a human being. She is going to want to help."

"Let's hope so," Logan said.

"I'll take Ace to dinner at her house with me," Rory stated. "Mom should come, she'll want to see her with the news and all. We'll ask her then."

"News?" Logan asked.

"We're expecting again," Luke informed him. "Sometime around Thanksgiving."

"Well congratulations," Logan said. "I'm happy for you."

The kids came running up to them just then, laughing. Logan couldn't help but feel really good seeing Ace enjoy his cousin, or Aunt, as much as he was. Honor had two kids that Ace had always been really close with. But they were rich kids, nothing against them, Logan had grown up exactly the same way. Though he was never as geriatric as them. They were stuffy and pretentious and really didn't know how to have nearly enough fun. Ace loved them, especially his cousin Miles who was only about 8 months younger than he was, but they were both kind of boring. Even Logan struggled to be interested in them sometimes. This was different, Emily-Elizabeth was so much younger than Ace but she hung on his every word and idolized him. Even better, she pushed him. He'd never seen such a fearless little girl before, and Ace seemed to really love being around her.

Logan grinned at his son, glistening with sweat and talking a mile a minute. They were telling him how they had been down at the stables and they were talking to Cletus, who was getting really old and couldn't see so well anymore. Dodger, Ace's funny looking little dog, had started teasing the poor old animal. The kids couldn't contain their laughter, pure giggles, as they told them how he had been pestering poor Cletus. Everyone joined in the laughter.

He had to admit, he might not ever be able to completely forgive, but moments like this gave him hope that things could be a lot better in the future. There was a chance that Ace could really grow to love being with his new found family, and that they could each add something good to his life. Logan realized how much of a gift he had given his son by reaching out, and wished he'd done it a lot sooner. It was so much more than then chance of a new kidney, this was his family. How could Rory have wanted to keep that from him?

He laughed a little more before returning to father mode, "Okay but you need to be careful. Horses are really big animals. He could hurt you kids, or Dodger, easily without even meaning to."

Logan tried to be as much his son's friend as he was a parent. The most important thing to him was to be sure that he and Ace had a relationship that was in every way different than the one he had with his own father. He only hoped he was doing a halfway decent job of it.


	16. Chapter 16

_Yay another update! I hope that you like it! I think that we should be moving on nicely with this story before too much longer. Stay tuned for the second half of this one sometime tonight or tomorrow! REVIEW PLEASE! -LLK_

* * *

"Do you think we should have brought Emily-Elizabeth," Rory asked as they approached that looming front door. The same one that had given her years of butterflies in her stomach. "You know, to cut the tension a little?"

"I think it's probably better this way," Lorelai said. "It's probably best to let the adults handle this one."

"Yeah," Ace agreed. "Sometimes it's best to just leave the children at home."

Rory grinned, he seemed so grown up as he puffed up his chest and acted all big and important. "Are you sure you're ready to meet your great grandmother?"

"Everyone else has bee great," Ace commented. "I'm sure she'll be great too."

"Maybe," Rory warned him. "My grandma is... very set in her ways."

"Yeah but everyone loves me," Ace gloated.

"I don't doubt that she will love you," Rory confessed. "I'm just worried about her ability to let things go."

It started snowing, the cool early March air chilling them as they watched the flakes drift downward. As Rory had gotten older she had developed a similar relationship with snow that her mother had always had. Something magical and beautiful always seemed to happen when it snowed. It might not always be a good omen, so to speak, but it always meant rebirth of sorts. It was like a blank slate. So, whatever happened tonight, there would be a new world to wake up to in the morning.

Rory sucked in a deep breath of cold refreshing air and stepped forward to ring the bell. A young woman greeted them and ushered them in quickly, shooing the cold back outside like a stray cat.

"I'm the daughter," Lorelai said. She pointed to Rory and Ace, "The granddaughter and great grandson."

"Mrs. Gilmore says to meet her for drinks," the young maid told her. "I'll take your coats."

"Hello Lorelai," Emily greeted as they turned the corner. "How are you feeling?"

"Good mom," Lorelai told her. "Tired, but good."

"And Rory," Emily said, more coldly. "You're well?"

"Yes mom," Rory put a firm hand on Ace's shoulder and pushed him forward. "This is Ace grandma, my son."

"I know who he is, no thanks to your efforts." She stated, flatly. She turned to her great grandson. "Ace, I'm so glad to finally meet you. I so wish this meeting had happened ages ago. Can I get you something to drink?"

"It's nice to meet you too," Ace said politely. "A water would be good. Thank you."

The conversation was awkward and forced for a while. The tension was still thick and it was obvious that forgiveness wasn't as ready to be given as Rory had hoped. She had to admit she resented her grandmother just a little. If everyone else could forgive her for a mistake she made a decade ago, if her mother and her ex boyfriend, her sister and stepfather, her son could all forgive her why was it that her grandmother felt so entitled to hang on to anger in this way? Who was she of all people to feel jilted?

Things started to relax a little when Lorelai and Emily bean discussing the upcoming baby and the pregnancy. Emily seemed a whole lot more pleased and comfortable with the idea than Rory had expected. Then again, when she had Rory to be angry at it seemed that it was much easier for her to get along with her mother. "Any thought on names?" Emily asked.

"Well, if it's a boy we have some ideas," Lorelai said. "Luke's father and mine are both passed on, so we will probably try to get both of their names in there somewhere. For a girl we are still at a total loss. Maybe we'll call her Lorelai."

"I think we have enough Lorelais for the time being," Emily told her. "Richard is a fine name. What was Luke's father's?"

"William," Lorelai told her.

"Richard William," Emily said. "I like it."

"William Richard," Lorelai corrected.

"There's time to decide on that later," Emily commented.

After they had eaten dinner, pot roast-a gesture that didn't go unnoticed to Rory, Lorelai excused herself with Ace under the guise that she would be giving him a tour of the home. She promised to show him all the old windows that she used to sneak out of so many years ago.

"Grandma now that we're alone I think we should talk," Rory got down to business right away. "I have a lot to say. But first I want to start with an apology. I was wrong to keep a secret like that from the family. I know that now, at the time... well, I didn't know what to do. It's clear that I made the wrong decision."

"Yes well," Emily said. "I have to agree with you. But I have to point out that you took something even more important away from yourself than you did any of us."

"I missed a lot," Rory agreed. "And I regret that."

"As well you should," Emily paused. "Was there something else you wanted to discuss with me?"

"Well," Rory searched for the right words. "Yes. I have something I need to ask from you."

"Well what is it?" Emily asked.

"One of the things I missed out on with Ace was, well, I didn't know that he his sick." Rory waited for a response from her grandmother and continued when she saw a nod, "Ace has a kidney disorder. I don't know all of the details. Logan has already given him one of his kidneys but it seems that his body is slowly rejecting it. We are asking everyone in the family, including you, to be tested as a possible live donor. I have already been tested and I'm not a good match. Mom can't because of the baby and her pregnancy being high risk is enough as it is. Is this something you'd consider?"

"For my great grandson?" Emily asked. "Of course I'll do it. I do have some terms though."

A shot of white hot anger flashed over Rory. She had to bite her cheek not to say something she might regret. Through gritted teeth she asked, "What are your terms?"


	17. Chapter 17

_Next update! Hope you like it! Do you think Emily's terms are reasonable? Reviews please! -LLK_

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Of course with this, as with everything, Emily Gilmore wouldn't be willing to help without getting her fair share in return. Rory couldn't help but know how she was able to choose her own career over raising her son, it seemed fundamental selfishness was a cornerstone in the family's makeup. She couldn't remember a time where she had been quite so ashamed to be related to this woman.

"So, Grandma," she asked again. "Your conditions?"

Emily was thoughtful for a few moments before responding. "Friday night dinners. I want them back. Indefenitely."

"Grandma we still come to Friday night dinners," Rory commented. "Mom and I, and Emily-Elizabeth, we come just as often as we can make it. You know that."

"Yes I do," Emily said. "And I'm glad that after all these years you are all finally coming because you want to and not because of some sort of obligation."

"So, wouldn't it be better for you if you asked for something else?" Rory asked. She knew her grandmother well enough to know that there was some sort of angle here. She wasn't going to simply let Rory off for a lifetime of dinners on Friday."

"Oh, you don't fully understand," Emily said, then a smile curved around the corners of her mouth. "I don't want the dinners with you."

"You're right," Rory admitted. "I don't understand."

"I want you and Ace to have friday night dinners together," Emily said finally. "If I give him my kidney, you have to have dinner with him every friday. Barring an over-seas trip for either of you. But, no less than 45 dinners in a 12 month period."

"Seriously?" Rory was confused.

"Yes Rory, seriously." Emily commented. "I don't understand why you chose not to be a mother to that child. But that really isn't my business as much as I would like for it to be. He already has my blood in his veins, and if he has my kidney in his body... well I want to know that he knows the Gilmore side of himself. I don't want you to miss out on any more. It wouldn't be fair for you to try to get custody. Logan has raised him for 10 years by himself, and done an excellent job. The least you can do is spend one day a week learning about your kid, and being his mother."

Disbelief. Complete disbelief. Just when Rory was right on the edge of disdain and hatred. When she couldn't stand the thought of spending another moment with her grandmother, well she had to go and do something like this. Joy overwhelmed her. Getting Logan to agree to the terms was a separate matter, but one Rory wasn't concerned about. Knowing that her grandmother would give her such a gift... the life of her son and then the opportunity to be in her son's life... well she never ceased to be amazed.

"I misjudged you grandma," Rory said. "I'm sorry. At some point I think I'll realize that you do want what's best for this family."

"Rory," Emily said. "I don't want to give you the wrong impression. I detest the choice you made. I choose to forgive it, but that doesn't make me accept it. I only hope that your son can forgive you as well. You will have a lot of work to do with him to repair the damage you've already done. And I expect you to do the work. This isn't something you can quit because it gets too hard."

"This isn't something I'm willing to quit again," Rory promised. "I've learned more from these few weeks having Ace in my life than I ever have from anything before."

"I know," Emily nodded. "There is just one more condition."

"What's that?" Rory asked.

"Well," Emily said. "I want you to seriously think about settling down with someone. Finding a husband wouldn't be the-"

"Grandma," Rory interrupted. "If that happens it'll happen in its own time."

"I just want you to open your mind to the idea," Emily said. "It would be nice if you and Logan and Ace were a proper family."

"No," Rory said. "It isn't going to happen with Logan, Grandma. I don't want it with him."

"Is there anyone you do want it with?" Emily asked.

"Not right now," Rory told her grandmother. "I'm not looking for marriage right now. But I promise, I'll give it more thought. But not with Logan, okay?"

"Not with Logan," Emily agreed. The disappointment was obvious on her face.

"Anything else?" Rory asked.

"No," Emily said. "That covers it."

They agreed to do the proper testing the next morning. Rory wasn't very optimistic. She was hopeful that Emily would be a viable candidate, but not very optimistic. Rory was his biological mother and if she wasn't a possible donor the odds that a more distant relative like a great grandparent being able were even longer. Still, Rory knew that she had to do everything she could to try to give him his best chance. Of course Logan would always be there fighting for him, trying to give him the very best. It couldn't hurt for Rory to be an advocate for the child too. After all, didn't most kids have both parents there for them? A pang of guilt overwhelmed her. She had left Logan alone to fight this battle for so long. How could she have done that? Ace was such a beautiful and wonderful little boy. He deserved more than this from her. Logan deserved more from her.

A spark had ignited inside of her. A faint flame was there where it had never been before and it was going to grow ever larger. Rory loved her son.


	18. Chapter 18

_Another update. I'm sorry I keep taking time off. I just suck suck suck! REVIEW FOR ME! It's getting good!_

 _-LLK._

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Logan was up earlier than usual, they were expected at the hospital to check in before six AM. There was an excitement coursing through his veins, akin to the feeling he used to get as a boy on Christmas morning. When the doctors had called to say that Emily was a suitable donor, he literally cried from relief. There was the Huntzberger machismo that kind of prevented him from being public about it, but there were small things that had started to make him worry. Things a non-parent probably wouldn't realize about Ace. The way he was sleeping more. The fact that he didn't ask for seconds at dinner anymore. Small delicate details that only an every day fixture would have known.

This was it. The day had finally come. They would be admitting him to the hospital and they would move forward with the transplant probably early the next morning. There was an overwhelming fear. A tentative hope. Anything could go wrong, but it had already hadn't it? So the worst was behind them. Ace would come through the surgery stronger and healthier than before. His great grandmother's strength would renew his, and he would be happy and healthy for the next fifty years. Logan held onto that hope as tightly as he could because the alternative was a life of darkness.

That day ten years ago when he was first told he had a son he hadn't know what to do. He had even demanded a blood test to prove that he was Ace's father, something he realized later he had merely done out of fear. His world had been rocked at its core and forever changed. He wasn't like most parents who have nine months to love and anticipate their child. He literally had only an instant to go from youth to father. It had been an incredibly hard transition for him. If he was totally honest, it had taken him a lot longer than he realized. But Ace was his tiny frail little son, and he had learned to be a father because he had to. Something he understood now was the best thing he had ever done. Ace was absolutely the most worthwhile decision he had ever made.

Ace's kidneys were bad back then, too. It wasn't any fault of his own surely, he hadn't even known his son existed before then. The doctors also assured him that the problem wasn't Ace's mother's blame either. Whatever happened was due to a genetic defect, not something that could have been prevented by a more careful pregnancy. Sometimes these things just happened. Logan had done his best to be proactive and involved from the start though. He had even taken some classes at through the medicine program at Yale to learn as much as he could about what he was up against. There was a time he'd considered going all the way and becoming a pediatric surgeon, just in case Ace needed him. Though, he had eventually decided it wasn't the best idea he'd ever had.

Slowly, with several surgeries, Ace's condition began to stabilize and Logan was able to take him home. They always lived as near to the hospital as physically logical. They had always been in and out of danger. There had even been times where the doctors and nurses had told him to prepare for the worst, though Logan had never really given in to that. Truth was, he couldn't even fathom of a world where the worst might happen. So he refused to consider it as an option, or consciously anyway. It always loomed in the back of his mind, like a terrifying demon forever in the shadows.

The first transplant was a no brainer. If the doctors would allow it he would give Ace his second kidney in a heartbeat. There were ethics though. Do no harm. So, that wasn't an option. They had been through the family tree fairly rapidly and there were reasons why everyone of the Huntzberger clan wasn't able. This had led him to Rroy's door, well, The Dragonfly. He was so thankful that Emily was willing to do what she was, so thankful for his son's third chance at life. The price she had asked? Small in the scheme of things. Friday Night Dinners. A chance for Ace to spend time alone with his mother, for them to get to know one another. Of course, Logan would be allowed to tag along any time he wanted but he worried that would blur the lines between him and Rory, confuse things for Ace.

He had begun to forgive Rory, finally, but he knew that he would never love her the way he had again. The possibility of them ever being together had sailed away on the same ship as the engagement ring he'd wanted to give her so long ago. He knew that there were so many people out there in the world pulling for him and her to "be a family" but that was impossible.

Logan ate some scrambled eggs quickly, realizing that he should do so before Ace woke because his son wouldn't be allowed to eat again until after surgery. He cleaned up the dishes, sent a text to his father reminding him he wouldn't be in to work again for at least another week, and walked down the hall to his son's room. Ace seemed so small, frail, in his huge bed. Logan had never really had time to worry about Ace growing up too fast, but he realized now that it had all gone too quickly. He was abundantly thankful for days like today when he could still look at his son and see the baby he once was.

"Ace, bud," he leaned forward and shook his son by the shoulder. "C'mon pal. Time to head to the hospital."


End file.
